An Asian cafe and food shop is poised to open soon at the former KFC restaurant in Newcastle ’s Bigg Market.

KFC closed its doors three years ago at the site, on the corner of the Bigg Market and Grainger Street, but a refurbishment has been carried out by the landlord to entice in a new tenant.

Now @Retail property firm has confirmed that a local independent operator has signed a lease at the unit, which will trade as An’s Market once it is up and running.

An’s Market will be an oriental food specialist and also serve up a cafe for the growing number of customers coming to the Bigg Market, which is undergoing significant regeneration.

It was back in 2015 that NE1 Ltd announced it received initial support of £202,800 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), the first time the fund has awarded a grant to a non-public sector organisation, to drive forward plans to give the historic area a £2.9m makeover.

The HLF earmarked £1,625,100 for the project which, with match funding, will be worth £2.9m of new investment, and CGIs showing how the public realm would look once finished, with seating areas and greenery, were unveiled to the public soon after.

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The imminent arrival of An’s Market to the area is the latest in a series of inward investment which has seen the opening of new bars and restaurants, including Filthy’s and Passing Clouds, and the nightclub Illegitimate.

Revolucion de Cuba will also soon begin work on a £1.4m major overhaul of the former Luna and Destiny nightclubs in Cloth Market to create a Cuban bar and restaurant complete with a rooftop terrace, and Crafted Projects’ plans for White Hart Yard are also progressing.